Motion-picture-film splice



Sept. 10, 1929. D. F. LYMAN- 1,727,349

MOTION PICTURE FILM SPLICE Filed Jan. 22, 1927 INVENTOR,

Douala; FLymcUU,

' ATTORNEYS. Z5

Patented Sept. 10, 192 9.

1101mm) '17. LYMAN, or ROCHESTER,

com any, or nocnns'rsa, NEW

MOTION-PICTURE-FEM SPLICE.

T OFFICE.

NEW YORK, -ASSIGNOR YORK, A CORPORATION 'ro EASTMAN KODAK or NEW YORK.

Application filed January 22, 1927. Serial No. 162572.

This invention relates to splices for motion picture film, and particularly to splices of the type wherein two sections of film of plastic cellulosic composition are united by a solvent or cement to form a unitary, welded or substantially homogene-' ous oint or union.

however, certain causes of failure and embodvin \Vhen such splices are properly made they seldom fail by reason of the separation of the cemented surfaces. There are, i A which are particularly potent at the splices.v Because of the double thickness of the film throughout the width of the strip, it is stifi'er at this point and this causes excessive bending at the ends of thedouble or stiff portion when the film passes around sprockets .or loop paths of small radius. The gates, sprockets. and guideways of motion picture apparatus usually engage the film at the borders only and these consti tute traction and wear taking portions.

The central part of the mechanism between the border enga ing portions is usually undercut so that the picture'area of the film does not contact the apparatus. Moreover, the guideways frequently comprise pressure members which engage both surfaces of the borders of the film and must be. forced apart when a double thickness of film is encountered.

()no object of my invention is to furnish a splice that is easy to make, and that is flexible. A further object is to furnish such a splice which, while strong and enduring, is of single thickness at the borders where greatest flexibility is desired, and where pressure guideways are engaged. These and other objects are attained by splices made in accordance with the following description g the inventions pointed out in the claims. 7 I

Reference will be made to the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters designate the same. parts throughout and in which Fig. -1 shows two sections of film united by my improved splice;

Fig. 2 is a side view of such a splice;

..in Fig. 7;

Fig. 3 Fig. 1;

is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a film guideway with film proved splice therein;

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 of my invention;

embodying my imshow other embodiments an edge view' of the splice shown Fig. 9 shows still a different embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 10 is an edge yiew Fig. 9; and.

Fig. 11 shows of my invention.

- In each of the ,shown a fil length of section of film, section and the joined. ated scale.

The preferred simplest, is' illustrated in fihn here shown is in a small size having series of perforati The perforations other; there is one pair each picture area The thickness is shown on still another embodiment various figures there is m'strlp, meaning an assembled 7 film comprising more than one of wlnch are shown two splice by which they are exaggerwhich is also the Figs. v1 to 4. The type now marketed a uniforml spaced along each rder 2. pairs opposite each of perforations to having a definite form,

of the ons 1 are 1n A and position, with respect to the corresponding area. It is very seldom that there is cause to splice unex splices the fi posed film. so Im being handled almost inthat in making variably is no longer sensitive and carries photographic images. The two sections 3 and 4 of film are assembly so that accurately located during this uniformity continues past the splice. The ends of the film to be oined are-cut into a t in Fig. 1. I have are made with sh cutting edges, as distinguished from one side by a flatsurface, th very much more d the latter method aperedform as shown noticed that when the cuts ears, that is, between two from cutting blade against at the resultant splice is urable, apparently because leaves a ragged edge on a knife or one side from which tears tend to start.

The tapered ends sides 6 terminati apex 7.

have, preferably, angular ng in a bluntlyv rounded Each of the films comprises a Support 8 of a plastic cellulosic composition, such as portion 10 and held under one of cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, cellulose ether or the like, upon one surface of which is a colloid layer 9, usually gelatine, customarily having a photographic image.

The ge'latine layer is scraped away as at 10 from the end of the tapered portions of section 3 and a common solvent or a cement is applied to the support as thus bared. The bottom of the support 8 of the other section 4 is at once placed on the scraped pressure until the overlapping ends unite. In this type of joint or splice there is .involved the action of the solvent or cement upon the material of the two supports'to be united, first at. tacking or dissolving a portion of the material and forming a fluid or plastic zone between the two supports, which upon evaporation of the solvent becomes a zone of interunion between the two, integral or homogeneous with both. This method is known, and in order to distinguish it from other methods of uniting such layers, such as by the action of a merely adhesive material or by the use of metallic fasteners I shall designate it as a splice of the welded y the complete tapered portion but provides a joint or splice of sufiicient area and strength to withstand any ordinary usage.v

There is thus left at each edge of the strip a notch 11 opposite the splice. This notch preferably extends across the film a distance greater t an the border portion 2 defined between'the edge of the film and the edges of the picture areas A, the latter line also being that of the inner edges of the perforations 1.- The length of the notch is less than that of a picture area or of the distance between two successive perforations.

As shown in Fig. 4, the border portions 2 are the wear resisting portions as the film passes through the motion picture apparatus. There is here shown, in section, a typical guideway having opposed members 12 having edge portions ,13 hearing on the film borders and intermediate channel portions 14 not contacting with the film. One

, of these members 12 is pressed by spring 15, which bears againsta fixed frame 16, against the other members which is also fixed so that the film borders are subject to constant resilient pressure. When an ordinary splice passes" through such a gate it strikes such a pressure member with objectionable force that is undesirable and noisy. \Vith my improved splice, however, there is at no time more than a single thickness of film along the borders and the doubled overlap portion 5 passes through the channel part of the guideway. Since such guides are frequently curved, as are the sprockets pe. The extent of the overlap 5 is less than with the long edges which also engage the film at the borders only, the edges being flexible, and the fihn as a whole is not bent-and broken.

Forms of the splice particularly designed for use with standard motion. picture film having four perforations 21 to each picture area B are shown in Figs. 5 and 9 to 11. ,In the form shown in Fig. 5 the edges of'the tapered portions are cut in compound curves 22 so as to avoid cutting through perforations, providing a 'welded overlap 23 and edge notches 24; analogous to those previously described, and attainingthe results desired. In Figs. 9 to 11, the cuts are first perpendicular to the edge as at 23 then longitudinally of the film strip as at 24' and then transverse of the film again at 25, being cut symmetrically from both edges. There are thus formed tabs 26 which may be overlapped as shown, notch 27 of some width as in Figs. 9 and 10,, or almost abutting as at 28, Fig. 11. In every case, however, the cuts avoid the perforations, overlap is entirely within the picture area, and the uniformity of the icture areas and perforations is not distur Jed. Every fourth perforation, it is to be noted, has the same. relation to corresponding picture areas and the length of'the notch is less than the distance between such corresponding fourth perforations.

It is not necessary that the tapered ends of the sections be symmetrical. As shown in Fig. 6, one inclined edge 30 of each tapered portion is shorter than the other 31, and is cut at a different angle there being produced. an unsymmetrical overlapv 32, Notches 33 analogous to notches 11 are thus formed.

The'doubled portion may be made, moreover, by a separate patch piece as shown at 40 in 7. In this case, the end of each section is cut with a short an ular edge 41 and a long angular edge 42. They are laid 42 abutting, thus leaving notches 45 analogous to those previously describ d, and a separate patch 40 preferably of the same material as the support 8, is laid on the support side of both sections to which it 'is welded, united or cemented by the method already described to form a splice such as I have already defined as-welded. The ends of the patch are'preferably rounded as at 43. This form of splicehas the ad'-v vantages that the surface, opposite the patch lies in the same plane throughout, and the film is not subject to distortion in passing through a guideway, and that it is not necessary to perform a scraping operation to any surfaces, if the patch is applied as described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. A motion picture film strip comprising longitudinally aligned sections of film of a film can follow these readily, the

either leaving a space or llt) cellulosic definitely vfined, longitudinally extending, wear taking portion over a part of its width, and a splice of the welded ty e joining the ends of the sections and extending over only a portion of the width of the film outside of the wear taking portion.

2. A motion picture film strip comprising longitudinally aligned sections of film of a cellulosic plastic material having at each edge'a longitudinally extending, wear taking portion, and. a splice of the welded type uniting the" ends 0 the film sections only between the' wear taking portions.

3. A motion icture film strip comprising a two longitudina ly aligned sections of film of a cellulosic plastic material having at each edge a longitudinally extending, wear taking portion, and a splice of the welded type uniting the ends of the sections only between the wear taking portions, the ends of the wear taking portions being .cut at acute angles, whereby V formed in the edges of splice. r,

4. A motion, picture film strip comprising two longitudinally aligned film sections with overlapping end portions tapering in width, the extent of the overlap being materially less than that of the strip opposite the 1 by V shaped notches are formed in the edges of the strip opposite said overla and the overlapping portions being unite L 5. A motion picture film strip comprising two longitudinally aligned film sections of cellulosic plastic material, and with uniformly spaced perforations along at least one border, said border constituting a wear resisting portion, and 9.- splice of the cemented type uniting the ends of the sections and extending only over a portion of the film strip and out of alignment with said border.

6. A motion picture film strip comprising two longitudinally aligned film sections of celluosic plastic material having along each border a row of uniformly spaced perforations, and a splice'of the welded type uniting the ends ofthe sections between t e perforations only, the ends of the border portions of the sections being cut at acute angles to the e ges whereby V-shaped notches are formed '11 the edges of the strip opposite the splice.

A motion picture film strip having along at least one border a series of uniformly spaced perforations and comprising longi tudinally aligned film sections joined at their ends by a splice of the welded type, extended over a portion only of the width of the strip, there being in the strip in line with the per- 'forations and opposite the splice a notch short er than the distance between successive perforations. p

'8. A motion picture film strip having a (plastic material. and having a shaped notches are.

the tapered portions, wherepered portions,

longitudinal series of uniform image areas and along each border a series of perforations, there being a perforation in each border at a definite relation to each picture area, the strip comprising longitudinally aligned sections of film having tapered end portions overlapping and united for a distance less than the length of the tapered portion, whereby notches are formed in the borders opposite the overlap, the notches being shorter than the distance between the perforations corresponding to successive picture a rcas.

9. A motion picture film strip comprising longitudinally aligned sections'of film of cellulosic plastic material having longitudinally extending, wear taking border portions, and a series of uniform fields with images thereonbetween said borders, the sections being united between said borders by splices of the welded type and the ends of the border portions of the sections being separated by notches opposite the splice having a length iieslsI than the length of an image bearing 10. A motion picture film strip comprising longitudinally aligned film sections with un iformly spaced perforations along their borders and a longitudinal series of fields of uniform size with images thereon between said perforations, the sections having tapered, united, overlapping end portions, the extent of the overlap whereby V shaped notches are formed in the edges of the strip opposite the overlap, each notch having a length less than the length of an image field and extending across the strip at least the full width of the corresponding perforations.

11. A motion picture film strip having defined wear takingborder portions and an exposure area between such border portions, and comprising longitudially aligned sections of film, the borders of the strip having at all points a thickness not greater than a single thickness of film, and the sections having united; overlapping ends in the exposure area only.

12. A motion picture film strip comprising two sections of film having border portions of uniform width and having perforations spaced uniformly longitudinally of said border portions, portions constituting an exposure area of uniform width longitudinally of the film, the two sections lying in longitudinal alignment with their meeting ends overlapping and cemented together, the distance between perforations in the region of the meeting ends being the same as tance between perforations along the film sections, the sides of the meeting ends of said sections being similarly tapered from the extreme edges to points wit in the exposure area, whereby each section has a symthe space between said borderthe uniform disbeing less than that of the tations of the film ends being limited to the extreme ends of the tapered portions lying within the exposure area, whereby there is left on each edge of the united film strip a notch opposite the overlapping area extending entirely across the border portion, the longitudinal dimension of said notch being less than the distance between successive perforations.

Signed at Rochester, New York this 18th day of January, 1927.

DONALD F. LYMAN. 

